Sulky-cultivator



suLKY cuLTlvAToR.

(Application flied Dec. 20, 1897.)

(No Model.) 2 lShee'ss--Shee Ziyi Ne. M554.l Patented sept. 27, |893.

S. N. BISTLINE.

SULKY GULTIVATUR.

(Application led .Dec, 20, 1897.) (No Model.)

2 shunts-Sheet 2.

. NHED ATFS SAMUEL N. BISTLINE, OF ANDERSONBURG, PENNSYLVANIA.

SU LKY-CU LTIVATO R.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 611,554, datedSeptember 27, 1898.

Application inea December 20,1397. srie No. 662,642. (No model.)

To @ZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, SAMUEL N. BIsTLINE, a citizen of the United States,residing at Andersonburg, in the county of Perry and State ofPennsylvania, have invented new and useful Improvements inSulky-Cultivators, of

- which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to sulky-cultivators more especially designed forcultivating corn and it has for its object to provide such a cultivatorwith improved means for shifting the gangs of plows laterally, toprovide improved means for raising and lowering the gangs of plows, andfor placing a yielding pressure on said gangs.

It also has for its obj ect to provide improved means for adjusting thewheels for side-hill work, and finally it has for its object to improveand simplify the construction and render more efficient the operationgenerally of this class of machines.

To these ends my invention consists in the features of construction andin the combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter described, andparticularly pointed out in the claims following thedescriptiomreference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming apart of this specification, wherein- Figure 1 is a side elevation of myimproved Y cultivator, one of the wheels being removed. Fig. 2 is a rearelevation thereof. Fig. Sis a top plan view. Fig. 4 is a detail view ofthe hand-lever for adjusting the wheels, and Fig. 5 is a similar View ofone of the spring-arms for placing pressure on the drag-bars.

Referring to the drawings, the numeral 1 indicates the axle, to whichare rigidly attached the side beams 2 and the front crossbeam 3,constituting the frame of the machine. To the axle 1 and cross-beam 3 isattached the tongue or pole 4. The opposite ends of the axle are bentdownward, as at 5, and are provided with vertically-depending pivot-pins5, on which are journaled or pivoted the axle-spindles 6, carrying thegroundwheels 7. Each of the spindles 6 is provided with an inwardly andupwardly extending armS, that liesunder the-axle 1, and at its inner endhas a limited oscillating movement in a stirrup 9, attached to the axle.'To the adjacent ends of the arms 8 are loosely attached rods 10, whichat their other ends are loosely connected to the opposite ends of alever 11, pivoted at its center to a lixed support 12, carried by thecross-beam 3; To one end of the lever 11 is connected a rod 13, theother end of which is connected to ahand-lever 14, pivoted at its lowerend on a stud 15, projecting from the inner side of one of the sidebeams 2 of the frame of the machine. The hand-lever 14 is adapted toengage a segment-rack 16, attached to the said side beam, to hold thelever to its adj usted position, and in order to cause said vhand-leverto engage the teeth or notches of the rack with certainty and hold it insuch engagement I arrange a coiled spring 17 on the endof the stud 15,which bears against the hand-lever and operates to throw it .intoengagement with the rack.

From the foregoing description it will be evident that by oscillatingthe hand-lever 1-1 in one or the other direction the centrallypivotedlever 11 will also be oscillated and v will draw one of the rods 10 inone direction and force the other rod 10 in the opposite direction, thussimultaneously oscillating the arms 8 and spindles 6 in oppositedirections and throwing the wheels equally at an angle to the line ofdraft.

It will of course be understood that the value of the angle to which thewheels will be thrown will depend on the extent to which the hand-lever14 is thrown and that the direction in which the wheels are turned willdepend upon the direction in which the handlever is thrown. By the meansdescribed the wheels will be firmly held at any angle to which they maybe adjusted, or also rigidly held in alinement with the axle 1. This adjustment of the wheels is especially advantageous in side-hill work, asthe wheels can be turned to the proper angle to prevent the madrag-bar19 of each plow-gang is pivoted in the bifurcated end of a swivel 22,whereby IOO the gangs may be freely raised and lowered, and each of theswivels 22 is journaled on a vertically-depending stud-shaft 23, rigidlyfixed in the forward end of the machineframe. The swivels 22 may beturned freely on their stud-shafts to permit the plow-gangs being swunglaterally, and fixed to each of said swivels is an arm 24, whichprojects inwardly and at its inner end is loosely connected to one endof a rod 25. The other end of said rod is connected to a foot-lever 26,which is centrally pivoted to the under side of the axle. The oppositeends of the footlever 26 terminate in stirrups or footholds 27, whichare in convenient reach of the feet of the operator when the latter isin place on the drivers seat 28, carried by the frame of the machine. Asshown, the rods 25 are connected to the foot-lever 26 on opposite sidesof the fulcrum of the latter, whereby when the foot-lever is oscillatedin one direction or the other the arms 24, fixed on the swivels 22, willbe oscillated in opposite directions, thus simultaneously throwing thetwo gangs of plows laterally to the right or left of the line of draft.The operator may thus by means of his feet readily swing the two gangsof plows to the right or left to follow the rows of plants or to avoidobstructions. In order to regulate the degree of adjustment or thelateral throw of the plow-gangs, I make the connection between the rods25 and arms 24 adjustable by forming in the inner end of each of thearms 24 a plurality of perforations 29, in any of which the hooked endsof the rods 25 may be engaged. It will be obvious that by changing thehooked ends of the rods 25 from one set of perforations to another thethrow of the arms 24 will be altered and the lateral swing of theplow-gangs correspondingly regulated. I prefer to arrange theperforations 29 in the end of each arm 24 in two or more parallel rows,the perforations of one row being arranged opposite the spaces betweenthe perforations in the adjacent row or staggeredf7 as shown, sucharrangement permitting of a wide latitude of' adjustment of theconnection between the said arms and rods.

For raising and lowering the plow-gangs and for placing a yieldingpressure on the drag-bars I provide the following mechanism.

Arranged immediately in rear of the axle l is a rock-shaft 30, theopposite ends of which are journaled in the side beams 2. Fixed on therock-shaft 30 are two arms 3l, to the free ends of which are attachedchains or other suitable flexible connections 32, that at their otherends are connected to the plow-gangs, the chains in the present instancebeing shown connected to the central drag-bars 19 of the plow-gangs. Tothe rock-shaft 30 is pivoted a hand-lever 33 in such manner that it mayoscillate in a plane passing longitudinally through the rock-shaft, butwhich is incapable of oscillating in a plane transversely to saidrock-shaft independently of the latter.

By rocking or turning the rock-shaft in its bearings by means of saidhand-lever the arms 31 are oscillated and by means of the chains 32raise and lower the plow-gangs. Fixed on one end of the side beams 3 isa segment-rack 34, the teeth or notches of which are adapted to beengaged by the hand-lever 33 to lock the latter in its adj ustedposition, and in order to cause said hand-lever to engage said rack withcertainty I provide a coiled spring 35, which is confined between thehand-lever and a support 36, fixed on the rock-shaft, said springconstant-ly exerting its force to throw the hand -lever into engagementwith the rack. By the means described the plow-gangs may be readilyraised and lowered and may be held at any elevation desired.

Arranged on the forward portion of each of the central drag-bars 19 ofthe plow-gangs is a yielding pressure device constructed as follows: Thenumeral 37 indicates an upright arm or bar formed of resilient or springmetal and provided at its lower end with a saddle or yoke 38, whichstraddles the drag-bar and is pivotally attached thereto by a pin 39,that passes transversely through the drag-bar and through eyes 40,formed in the sides of the saddle or yoke. As shown, the rear end of theyoke or saddle 3S rests upon the top of the drag-bar at a point somewhatremote and in rear of the pivot 39, so that if the arm 37 be drawnbackward the saddle or yoke will operate to depress the drag-bars. Theupper ends of the spring-arms 37 are connected to the forward ends ofrods 4l, the rear ends of which are connected to a rigid arm 42, fixedon the rock-shaft 30. It will be readily understood that when therock-shaft 30 is turned to lower the plow-gangs the spring-arms 37 willbe flexed and drawn backward, thus causing the yokes or saddles 3S toforce the drag-bars downward and hold the shovels properly to theirwork. It will also be evident that the farther'the shovels are loweredthe greater will be the pressure exerted by the spring-arms on thedrag-bars and that owing to the resiliency of the arms 37 the pressurewill be a yielding one to permit the shovels to raise up when theyencounter an abnormal resistance. By the means described the pressureplaced upon the plow-gangs is automatically regulated, the farther theshovels are lowered to take deeper into the earth the greater thepressure will be upon the drag-bars to hold the shovels down into thesoil, while, on the other hand, when the plowgangs are raised to clearthe earth the pressure will be entirely taken olf the drag-bars.

From the foregoing description it will be obvious that all theadjustments and operations of the machine may be conveniently andquickly performed by the driver without leaving his seat and that allparts of the machine are at all times thoroughly under his immediatecontrol.

If it be desired to give an increased yieldingpressure to the drag-bars,a coiled spring Iog Igc

611,554 p y r.

43 may be inserted between the rear end of each of the saddles 38 andthe top of the drag-bar, as shown in Fig. 5. This will permit of alimited yielding movement of the drag-bars independently of the pressureexerted by the spring-arms 37.

Having described my invention, -what I claim is l. In asulky-cultivator, the combination with the wheeled frame, ofvertically-depending shafts carried by said frame, swivels j ournaled onsaid shafts, plow-gang frames pivotally connected at their forward endsto said swivels whereby said plow-gangs may bev raised and lowered andswung laterally from side to side, inwardly-projecting arms xed to saidswivels, a foot-lever pivoted between its ends to the machine-frame, androds connected at their rear ends to said foot-lever on opposite sidesof its fulcrum and at their front ends to the inner ends of the saidarms, whereby said plow-gangs may be simultaneously shifted to eitherside of the line of draft, substantially as described.

2. In a sulky-cultivator, the combination with the wheeled frame, ofvertically-depending shafts carried by said frame, swivels journaled onsaid shafts, plow-gang frames pivotally connected at their forward endsto said swivels vwhereby said plow-gangs may be raised and lowered andswung laterally from side to side, inwardly-projecting arms fixed tosaid swivels, a foot-lever pivoted betweenV its ends tothemachine-frame, rods connected at their ends to said foot-lever `onopposite sides of its fulcrnm and at their front ends to the inner endsof said arms, and means for raising and lowering said plow-gangs,substantially as described.

3. In a sulky-cultivator, the combination with the wheeled frame, ofvertically-depending shafts carried bysaid fram e, swivels j ournaled onsaid shafts7 plow-gang frames pivotally connected at their forward endsto said swivels whereby said plow-gangs may be raised and lowered andswung laterally from side to side, inwardly-projecting arms iiXed tosaid swivels, a foot-lever pivoted between its ends to the machine-frameand rods `connected at their rear ends to said foot-lever on oppositesides of its fulcrum and at their forward ends adj ustably connected tothe inner ends of the said arms, substantially as described.

4. In a snlky-cultivator, the combination with the wheeled frame, ofvertically-depending shafts carried by said frame, swivels journaled onsaid shafts, plow-gang frames pivotally connected at their forward endsto said swivels whereby said plow-gangs may be raised and lowered andswung laterally from side to side, inwardly-projecting arms liXed tosaid swivels, and each provided at its inner ends with a plurality ofapertures,

a foot-lever pivoted betweenV its ends to the machine-frame, and rodsprovided at their forward ends with hooks interchangeably en- G. In asulky-cnltivator, the combination lwith the wheeled frame, of thedrag-bars 19 pivotally connected at their forward ends to supportscarried by the frame and each carrying shovels, of the spring-arms 37provided at their lower ends with yokes or saddles 38 straddling saiddrag-bars, said yokes or saddles being pivoted at their forward ends todrag-bars and bearing` at their rear ends thereon, and means for flexingsaid springarms rearwardly to yieldingly depress the drag-bars,substantially as described.

7. In a snlky-cultivator, the combination with the wheeled frame, of thedrag-bars 19 pivotally connected at their forward ends to supportscarried by the frame and each carrying shovels, of the spring-arms 37provided at their lower ends with yokes or saddles 3S straddling saiddrag-bars and provided. at their forward ends with eyes 40 journaled onpivot-pins Y 39 carried by the drag-bars, said yokes or saddles bearingat their rear ends on the upper side of the drag-bars, and means forflexing said spring-arms rearwardly to yieldingly depress the drag-bars,substantially as described.

8. In a sulky-cultivator, the combination with the wheeled frame, of thedrag-bars 19 pivotally connected at their forward ends to supportscarried by the frame and each carrying shovels, the spring-arms 37provided at their lower ends with yokes or saddles 38 straddling saiddrag-bars, said yokes or saddles being pivoted at their forward ends tothe drag-bars and bearing at their rear ends thereon, arock-shaft'journaled in the rear end of the frame, an arm fixed on saidrockshaft and connected to the said spring-arms, and means for rockingsaid rock-shaft, substantially as described.

9. In a sulky-cultivator, the combination with the wheeled frame, of thedrag-bars 19 pivotally connected at their forward ends to supportscarried by the frame and each carl rying shovels, the spring-arms 37provided at their lower ends with yokes or saddles 38 straddling saiddrag-bars, said yokes or saddles being pivoted at their forward ends tothe drag-bars and bearing at their rear ends thereon, a rock-shaftjournaled in the rear end of the frame, an arm fixed on the rockshaftand connected to the said spring-arms, arms fixed on the rock-shaft andconnected to the drag-bars, and means for rocking and IOO IZO

holding said rock-shaft, substantially as described.

l0. In a sulky-cultivator, the combination with the wheeled frame, ofthe drag-bars 19 pivotally connected at their forward ends to supportscarried by the frame and each carrying shovels, the spring-arms 37provided at their lower ends with yokes or saddles 3S straddling saiddrag-bars, said yokes or saddles being pivoted at their forward ends tothe drag-bars and bearing at their rear ends thereon, a rock-shaftjournaled in the rear end of the frame, an arm fixed on the rockshaftrand connected to the said spring-arms, arms fixed on the rock-shaft andconnected to the drag-bars, an oscillating hand-lever iiXed againstrotation on the rock-shaft, a rack, and a spring for throwing saidhandlever into engagement with the rack to prevent the rock-shaft fromturning, substantially as described.

11. In a sulky-cultivator, the combination with the frame and the gangsof shovels carried thereby, of the axle having downwardlyextending endsprovided with vertically-depending pivot-pins, axle-spindles journaledon said pins and provided with inwardly-extending arms, rods attached tothe inner ends of said arms and connected to the opposite ends of acentrally-pivoted lever, a hand-lever, a rod connecting said hand-leverto the centrally-pivoted lever, and a rack adapted to be engaged by thehand-lever, substantially as described.

12. In a sulky-cultivator, the combination with the frame and the gangsof shovels carried thereby, of the axle having downwardlyextending endsprovided with vertically-depending pivot-pins, axle-spindles journaledon said pins and provided with inwardly-projecting arms normally inalinement with the spindles, a centrally-pivoted lever normally parallelwith the aXle, rods attached to the inner ends of said arms and to the`opposite ends of the centrally-pivoted lever, a handlever j ournaled ona stud carried by the frame,

a rack, a coiled spring arranged on said stud and operating to causesaid lever to engage the rack, and a rod Connecting the hand-le- `verand one end of said centrally-pivoted le- 5o ver, substantially asdescribed.

13. In a sulky-cultivator, the' combination with the wheeled frame, ofthe drag-bars 19 pivotally connected at their forward ends to supportscarried by the frame and each carryin g shovels,of the arms 37 providedat their lower ends with yokes or saddles 38 straddling saidvdrag-barsand provided at their forward ends with eyes 40 journaled on pivotpins39 carried by the drag-bars, and springs 6o 43 arranged between the rearends of the saddle and the drag-bars, substantially as described and forthe purpose specified.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of twosubscribing witnesses. v

SAMUEL N. BISTLINE.

Witnesses:

J. STUART LIGHTNER, JOHN A. NEsBrr-r.

